FlipSide

Related Links

We were fascinated when we discovered a book, “Talk the Talk: The Slang of 65 American Subcultures.” The book, by Luc Reid, is a compilation of slang terms from America’s favorite hobbies, pastimes and interests.

The book includes interesting facts about each subculture’s vernacular, such as why American skiers have more words for snow than the Eskimos do and how a potato chip relates to bicycles.

Here are some subculture slang terms.From the coin collector section:

Blazer: A coin in incredibly good condition that immediately attracts the eye.

Key: In reference to a coin, the most difficult-to-obtain of a set.

From the graffiti writers section:

Burn: 1. To outdo other graffiti writers in terms of style. 2. In reference to a piece of graffiti, to be very stylish or impressive.

Layup: A side track where trains and subway cars are sometimes parked when not in use.

From the hacker section:

Kludge or Kluge: A piece of programming or a programming fix that is: a) cleverly executed but poorly conceived, b) quick and dirty or c) much more complex than necessary.

FCW investigated efforts by the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to improve a joint data repository on military and veteran suicides. Something as impersonal and mundane as incomplete datasets could be exacerbating a national tragedy.